Cataracts is a clouding of the lens inside the eye which leads to a decrease in vision. In many cases, cataracts can be treated surgically. As an example, cataracts can be manually removed (e.g., by a surgeon) by removing the natural lens of the eye that has developed an opacification. Following surgical removal of the natural lens, an artificial intraocular lens implant can be implanted as a replacement.
Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) can be used to assist or replace aspects of manual cataract surgery. The advantages of this technology include, for example, the ability to create a perfectly sized, shaped and centered circular anterior capsular incision, the perfect positioning of the intraocular lens held by a complete edge of the anterior capsule, and the ability to break up the cataract, which in turn reduces phacoemulsification time and energy.